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The Unstrung Harp (Hardcover)

by Edward Gorey (Author)

4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (9 customer reviews)

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Editorial Reviews

From Kirkus Reviews
The clichs of English country-house fiction and the more generic ``unspeakable horror of the literary life'' are memorably skewered in this urbane jeu first published in 1953 (and, scandalously, out of print ever since). Its protagonist, Mr. Earbrass, is a reclusive well-to-do bachelor author of middle years, with a profile (as seen in Gorey's serenely sinister accompanying drawings) rather resembling a benign croquet mallet and a neurasthenic sensibility hilariously vulnerable to every harrowing stage in the process of conceiving, completing, and publicizing his new novel. He himself, we're surely to infer, is the unstrung harpand the deadpan tale of his inharmonious relations with the dangerous world of letters is both a caution to would-be writers and (to use a word utterly inappropriate to Mr. Earbrass's strangled gentility) a hoot. -- Copyright ©1999, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Review

Praise for Edward Gorey
“A master of a genre of graphic storytelling [and] a brilliant draftsman."-The New York Times Book Review “Edward Gorey's work is remarkable and mysterious. I find it fascinating."-Max Ernst

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Product Details

Hardcover: 64 pages
Publisher: Harcourt (May 18, 1999)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0151004358
ISBN-13: 978-0151004355
Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5.3 x 0.5 inches
Shipping Weight: 7 ounces

Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (9 customer reviews)

Amazon.com Sales Rank: #955,224 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)
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Front Cover | Front Flap | First Pages | Back Flap | Back Cover

Citations (learn more)

16 books cite this book:

Shelf Life: Literary Essays and Reviews by William H. Pritchard on page 231, page 232, and page 233
Mystery!: A Celebration : Stalking Public Television's Greatest Sleuths by Ron Miller on page 5, and page 8
The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells in Back Matter
Pandora's Handbag by Elizabeth Young on page 9
Explorations in the Field of Nonsense (DQR Studies in Literature 3) (Costerus New Series) by Wim Tigges on page 78

See all 16 books citing this book

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Customer Reviews

9 Reviews

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

Average Customer Review

4.6 out of 5 stars (9 customer reviews)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It's back! A classic of life's little frustrations., November 19, 1999

By A Customer

I grew up with this book, but tragically lost it a few years ago. Now it is finally available again. The story of Mr. Earbrass struggling with every phase of writing a book is a classic of wry humor with non-sequiturs at every turn. The illustrations (drawn actual size) are even more of an attraction than the story. Be sure to look for the distant hot-air balloon in one illustration, and what happens to the fantod under glass. What's a fantod? Read the book to see one! I also recommend this book for developing childrens' sense of humor, although I found the long-headed people and oblique references to English place names a bit difficult to understand when I was six.

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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gorey's First Book and Masterpiece, June 8, 1999

By A Customer

This is a reissue of Gorey's first book, which has much more text and a more conventional and linear storyline than many others that followed. However, don't be put off. All the Gorey trademarks are here in full bloom: the illustrations are ravishing in their detail, the text is very funny and absurd, and the story about the agonies of creativity is wonderfully comic in its depictions of the writer's life. This is my favorite Gorey book, bar none.

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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Gorey's first novel is a little different from later efforts, but very funny, October 24, 2005

By	Christopher Culver - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)

THE UNSTRUNG HARP was Edward Gorey's first novel, published in 1953. Although full of the droll humour that makes all of his efforts true pleasures to read, it is a little different from later, typical Gorey. There is more text with each illustration, and the characters involved are not as realistic as later, although these illustrations are still pen and ink drawings set in Edwardian times.

The story concerns C. F. Earbrass, the "well-known novelist". Earbrass is at work on a new book, and each picture shows a stage. Gorey's book is a wonderful and insightful commentary on the process of literary creation, and I will quote from one page:

"The first draft of TUH is more than half finished, and for some weeks its characters have been assuming a fitful and cloudy reality. Now, a minor one named Glassglue has materialized at the head of the stairs as his creator is about to go down to dinner. Mr Earbrass was aware of the peculiarly unpleasant nubs on his greatcoat, but not the blue-tinted spectacles. Glassglue is about to mutter something in a tone too low to be caught and, stepping sideways, vanish."

If you could only see the illustration accompanying this you would get the book immediately. THE UNSTRUNG HARP is a very funny book and is worth seeking out by all Gorey fans, although THE OTHER STATUE might make a better introduction.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars from a writer to writers about a writer
The Unstrung Harp, Or, Mr. Earbrass Writes a Novel is a book about writing a book. If you have ever written and published (or tried to publish) a book, you will think every word... Read more

Published 15 days ago by T. Tanner

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantods and epergnes
Fantods and epergnes do exist - at least they're in the dictionary. One is under glass in this book. It's impossible to review this wonderful book without quoting from it. Read more

Published on June 26, 2002 by D. P. Birkett

5.0 out of 5 stars How to Write a Novel
A brilliant tale of how best to go about writing the all-American novel. Or British. Whatever. I carry this book close to my heart, as do all serious authors.

Published on July 15, 2001 by Rick Perry

5.0 out of 5 stars the dark world of a writer
"In the blue horror of dawn the vines in the carpet appear likely to begin twining up his ankles. Read more

Published on January 30, 2001 by Regulus

4.0 out of 5 stars A Long Headed Auther Writes A Novel
This book has more to offer than it did in 1953, when it was first published. Most of the trouble that Mr. Read more

Published on September 18, 1999

3.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful book, bothersome edition
This book is surely among Edward Gorey's finest. However, I was extremely disappointed to discover that the text of the story, originally hand-lettered by Mr. Read more

Published on June 9, 1999

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